1 Self-determination of French Polynesia

1 Self-determination of French Polynesia The General Assembly, Recalling the Charter of the United Nations, its resolution 1514 (XV) of 14 December ...
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Self-determination of French Polynesia

The General Assembly, Recalling the Charter of the United Nations, its resolution 1514 (XV) of 14 December 1960 containing the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples and its resolution 1541 (XV) of 15 December 1960, Taking into account articles 3 and 4 of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples regarding the right of self-determination and the recommendation of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues at its eleventh session on the implementation of basic fundamental human rights articulated in the Declaration, particularly the right to self-determination, Taking note of the resolution of the Assembly of French Polynesia, adopted in Papeete, Tahiti, on 18 August 2011, in which it expressed its will that French Polynesia be reinscribed on the United Nations list of Non-Self-Governing Territories, and the decision taken by the Council of Ministers of the Government of French Polynesia on 15 June 2011 to call for the reinscription, Welcoming the decisions of the Pacific Islands Forum, taken at its meetings held in Apia, Samoa, from 5 to 7 August 2004, Auckland, New Zealand, on 7 and 8 September 2011, and Rarotonga, Cook Islands, from 28 to 30 August 2012, to support the principle of the right to self-determination of the people of French Polynesia, Recalling that French Polynesia, as the former French Establishments in Oceania, was originally considered a Non-Self-Governing Territory in General Assembly resolution 66 (I) of 14 December 1946, and noting that the Government of France has not transmitted any further information regarding French Polynesia since 1946, 1.

Affirms the inalienable right of the people of French Polynesia to self- determination and independence in accordance with Chapter XI of the Charter of the United Nations and General Assembly resolution 1514 (XV), recognizes that French Polynesia remains a NonSelf-Governing Territory within the meaning of the Charter, and declares that an obligation exists under Article 73 e of the Charter on the part of the Government of France, as the administering Power of the Territory, to transmit information on French Polynesia;

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Requests the Government of France, as the Administering Power concerned, to intensify its dialogue with French Polynesia in order to facilitate rapid progress towards a fair and effective self-determination process, under which the terms and timelines for an act of self-determination will be agreed, and to extend its cooperation to the Special Committee in the implementation of the present resolution.

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The situation in the Syrian Arab Republic

The General Assembly, Expressing outrage at the rapidly increasing death toll in the Syrian Arab Republic and the more than one million refugees and millions of internally displaced persons who have fled as a result of the extreme violence, Recalling the statements made by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights that crimes against humanity are likely to have been committed in the Syrian Arab Republic and that the Syrian authorities have failed to prosecute such serious violations, Recalling that all Members of the United Nations shall refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any State, or in any other manner inconsistent with the purposes of the United Nations, 1

Strongly condemns the escalating use by the Syrian authorities and the Governmentaffiliated shabbiha militias, of heavy weapons, including indiscriminate shelling from tanks and aircraft, and the use of other indiscriminate weapons against population centres and the continued widespread and systematic gross violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms by the Syrian authorities such as attacks on schools, hospitals and places of worship, massacres, arbitrary executions, extrajudicial killings, the killing and persecution of protestors, human rights defenders and journalists, arbitrary detention, enforced disappearances, violations of the right of the child;

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Strongly condemns the shelling by the Syrian armed forces into neighbouring countries, which led to casualties and injuries of the civilians of those countries as well as of Syrian refugees;

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Strongly condemns the engagement of Hezbollah militia and forces originating in the Islamic Republic of Iran in the conflict within Syria and demands that the governments of both Lebanon and Iran to ensure that these forces are withdrawn immediately;

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Demands that the Syrian authorities strictly observe their obligations under international law with respect to chemical and biological weapons, and also demands that the Syrian authorities refrain from using or transferring to nonState actors any chemical and biological weapons or any related material;

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Welcomes the extension of the mandate of the independent international commission of inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic, and deeply regrets the lack of cooperation of the Government of the Syrian Arab Republic with the commission, in particular the persistent denial of access of its members to the Syrian Arab Republic;

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Welcomes the establishment of the National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces as effective representative interlocutors needed for a political transition.

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Political declaration on the peaceful resolution of conflicts in Africa

The General Assembly, Adopts the following political declaration: We, representatives of Member States and observers, express deep appreciation to the Organization of African Unity for its historic role in the liberation of the people of Africa from the yoke of colonialism and apartheid and for its invaluable contribution towards the objective of achieving total decolonization and unity of the African continent. We emphasize the necessity to redouble efforts in order to peacefully resolve all outstanding conflicts and disputes on the African continent. We welcome the role and positive contribution of the African Union in efforts to settle disputes and conflicts peacefully in Africa and express our support for the mediation and peacekeeping initiatives conducted by the African Union. We also recognize the contribution of subregional organizations. We urge the international community, including the United Nations, to continue to effectively address the twin imperatives of security and development in Africa in a comprehensive manner in collaboration with the African Union, and further reaffirm that peace, security, development and human rights are inextricably linked and that ex-colonial powers have an obligation to allocate economic resources to ensuring the development of their previous colonies and the remediation of the economic and social damage caused by colonization. We stress the obligation of States to settle their disputes by peaceful means in accordance with Chapter VI of the Charter of the United Nations. We emphasize the need for a coordinated, coherent and integrated approach to post-conflict peacebuilding and reconciliation with a view to achieving sustainable peace, and recognize in this regard the importance of the Peacebuilding Commission in providing political accompaniment, marshalling adequate resources and forging coherence and coordination among relevant actors, as well as the need for the Commission to advise on and propose integrated strategies for post-conflict peacebuilding and recovery aligned with nationally identified priorities. We recall paragraph 153 of the 2005 World Summit Outcome, in which leaders resolved to support early reform of the Security Council as an essential element of overall efforts to reform the United Nations in order to make it more broadly representative, efficient and transparent and thus further enhance its effectiveness and legitimacy and the implementation of its decisions. We recognize that more than 70 per cent of the work of the Security Council is on African issues, and in this context we acknowledge the historical injustice against Africa with regard to its representation in the Security Council and express support for increased and enhanced representation for Africa in the reformed Security Council. We commit to supporting the consolidation of democracy and good governance in Africa. We welcome the remarkable progress that has been achieved in implementing the continent’s self-assessment for improved good governance, the African Peer Review Mechanism, as it enters its tenth year, and encourage African States that have not yet done so to consider joining the Mechanism process.

4 Protection of global climate for present and future generations of humankind and achievement of Harmony with nature The General Assembly, Recalling the provisions of the United Nations Frame work Convention on Climate Change, 1

Reaffirms that climate change is one of the greatest challenges of our time, expresses profound alarm that the emissions of greenhouse gases continue to rise globally, remains deeply concerned that all countries, particularly developing countries, are vulnerable to the adverse impacts of climate change and are already experiencing increased impacts, including persistent drought and extreme weather events, sea-level rise, coastal erosion and ocean acidification, further threatening food security and efforts to eradicate poverty and achieve sustainable development, and in this regard emphasizes that adaptation to climate change represents an immediate and urgent global priority;

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Calls for the widest possible cooperation by all countries and their participation in an effective and appropriate international response, in accordance with their common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities and social and economic conditions;

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Acknowledges that the developed country parties both large and small must take the lead in combating climate change and its adverse effects, allowing developing nations to continue their economic development;

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Reaffirms that fundamental changes in the way societies produce and consume are indispensable for achieving global sustainable development and that all countries should promote sustainable consumption and production patterns, with the developed countries taking the lead and with all countries benefiting;

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Recognizes that many ancient civilizations and indigenous cultures have a rich history of understanding the symbiotic connection between human beings and nature that fosters a mutually beneficial relationship;

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Calls for holistic and integrated approaches to sustainable development that will guide humanity to live in harmony with nature and lead to efforts to restore the health and integrity of the Earth’s ecosystems;

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Recognizes the need for broader measures of progress to replace gross domestic product in order to better inform policy decisions.

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Promotion of new and renewable sources of energy

The General Assembly, Concerned that lack of access to energy and sustainable modern energy services is an important factor that directly affects efforts towards poverty eradication, the greatest global challenge facing the world today, and the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals in the developing world, Deeply concerned that 2.6 billion people in developing countries rely on traditional biomass for cooking and heating, that 1.3 billion people are without electricity and that, even when energy services are available, millions of poor people are unable to pay for them, Highlighting the importance of the empowerment of developing countries as the way to achieve a rapid expansion of renewable energy worldwide, 1

Stresses the need to increase the share of new and renewable sources of energy in the global energy mix as an important contribution to achieving universal access to sustainable modern energy services;

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Emphasizes that improving energy efficiency, increasing the share of renewable energy, and cleaner and energy-efficient technologies are important for sustainable development;

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Recognizes that the current share of new and renewable sources of energy in the global energy supply is still low and calls for action to achieve economic viability of new and renewable sources of energy through enhanced research and development support along with appropriate policy initiatives and investments at the national and international levels, with Governments working in collaboration with relevant stakeholders, including the private sector;

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Calls upon Governments to take further action to mobilize the provision of financial resources, technology transfer on mutually agreed terms, capacity- building and the diffusion of new and existing environmentally sound technologies to developing countries and countries with economies in transition.

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Protection of migrants

The General Assembly, Recognizing the importance of having a comprehensive and balanced approach to international migration, and bearing in mind that migration enriches the economic, political, social and cultural fabric of States and the historical and cultural ties that exist among some regions, 1. Calls upon States to promote and protect effectively the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all migrants, regardless of their migration status, especially those of women and children, and to address international migration through international, regional or bilateral cooperation and dialogue and through a comprehensive and balanced approach, rather than attempting to unilaterally control migration flows, recognizing the roles and responsibilities of countries of origin, transit and destination in promoting and protecting the human rights of all migrants, and avoiding approaches that might aggravate their vulnerability; 2. Expresses concern about legislation adopted by some States that results in measures and practices that may restrict the human rights and fundamental freedoms of migrants, and reaffirms that, when exercising their sovereign right to enact and implement migratory and border security measures, States have the duty to comply with their obligations under international law, including international human rights law, in order to ensure full respect for the human rights of migrants; 3. Calls upon States to ensure that their laws and policies, including in the areas of counterterrorism and combating transnational organized crime, such as trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants, fully respect the human rights of migrants; 4. Demands that all States respect the human rights and the inherent dignity of migrants and to put an end to arbitrary arrest and the practice of mandatory detention; 5. Requests all States to enforce labour law effectively, including by addressing violations of such law, with regard to migrant workers’ labour relations and working conditions, inter alia, those related to their remuneration and conditions of health, safety at work and the right to freedom of association; 6. Recalls that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights recognizes that everyone has the right to an effective remedy by the competent national tribunals for acts violating the fundamental rights granted to him or her and insists that States uphold that right; 7. Encourages Member States that have not already done so to enact domestic legislation and to take further effective measures to combat international trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants, recognizing that these crimes may endanger the lives of migrants or subject them to harm, servitude or exploitation, which may also include debt bondage, slavery, sexual exploitation or forced labour, and also encourages Member States to strengthen international cooperation to combat such trafficking and smuggling.

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Agriculture development and food security

The General Assembly, Expressing concern that the multiple and complex causes of the food crises that occur in different regions of the world, affecting developing countries, especially net food importers, 1

Stresses the need to address the root causes of excessive food price volatility, including its structural causes, at all levels, and the need to manage the risks linked to excessively volatile prices in agriculture commodities and their consequences for global food security and nutrition, as well as for smallholder farmers and poor urban-dwellers;

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Also stresses the need to increase sustainable agricultural production and productivity globally through improving the functioning of markets and trading systems and strengthening international cooperation, particularly for developing countries, and by increasing public and private investment in sustainable agriculture, land management and rural development;

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Invites Governments and international organizations, in collaboration with cooperatives and cooperative organizations, to promote, as appropriate, the growth of agricultural cooperatives through easy access to affordable finance, the adoption of sustainable production techniques, investment in rural infrastructure and irrigation, strengthened marketing mechanisms and support for the participation of women in economic activities;

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Urges Member States and international organizations to pursue policies and strategies that improve the functioning of national, regional and international markets and ensure equitable access for all to those markets, especially smallholder and women farmers in developing countries, notes the importance of non-trade- distorting special measures that are consistent with the rules of the World Trade Organization and urges Member States to refrain from taking measures that are inconsistent with the rules of the World Trade Organization and that have adverse impacts on global, regional and national food security;

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Stresses the need to remove food export restrictions or extraordinary taxes on food purchased for non-commercial humanitarian purposes by the World Food Programme, and not to impose them in the future;

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Also stresses the need to significantly reduce post-harvest and other food losses and waste throughout the food supply chain through, inter alia, increased promotion of appropriate harvesting practices, agro-food processing and appropriate facilities for the storage and packaging of food.

8 Permanent sovereignty of the Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and of the Arab population in the occupied Syrian Golan over their natural resources The General Assembly, Reaffirming the principle of the permanent sovereignty of peoples under foreign occupation over their natural resources, Expressing its concern about the exploitation by Israel, the occupying Power, of the natural resources of the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and other Arab territories occupied by Israel since 1967, Expressing its grave concern about the extensive destruction by Israel, the occupying Power, of agricultural land and orchards in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including the uprooting of a vast number of fruit-bearing trees and the destruction of farms and greenhouses, and the grave environmental and economic impact in this regard, Aware of the detrimental impact of the Israeli settlements on Palestinian and other Arab natural resources, especially as a result of the confiscation of land and the forced diversion of water resources, and of the dire socioeconomic consequences in this regard, Recalling the need to end all acts of violence, including acts of terror, provocation, incitement and destruction, 1. Reaffirms the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people and of the population of the occupied Syrian Golan over their natural resources, including land, water and energy resources; 2. Demands that Israel, the occupying Power, cease the exploitation, damage, cause of loss or depletion, and endangerment of the natural resources in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and in the occupied Syrian Golan; 3. Recognizes the right of the Palestinian people to claim restitution as a result of any exploitation, damage, loss or depletion, or endangerment of their natural resources resulting from illegal measures taken by Israel, the occupying Power, in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem; 4. Stresses that the wall and settlements being constructed by Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including in and around East Jerusalem, are contrary to international law and are seriously depriving the Palestinian people of their natural resources; 5. Calls upon Israel, the occupying Power, to cease all actions harming the environment, including the dumping of all kinds of waste materials in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and in the occupied Syrian Golan, which gravely threaten their natural resources, namely water and land resources, and which pose an environmental, sanitation and health threat to the civilian populations; 6. Further calls upon Israel to cease its destruction of vital infrastructure, including water pipelines and sewage networks.

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Nuclear disarmament

The General Assembly, Reaffirming the commitment of the international community to the goal of the total elimination of nuclear weapons and the establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free world, Seized of the danger of the use of weapons of mass destruction, particularly nuclear weapons, in terrorist acts and the urgent need for concerted international efforts to control and overcome it, 1

Recognizes that the time is now opportune for all the nuclear-weapon States to take effective disarmament measures to achieve the total elimination of these weapons at the earliest possible time;

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Reaffirms that nuclear disarmament and nuclear non-proliferation are substantively interrelated and mutually reinforcing, that the two processes must go hand in hand;

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Encourages the efforts to establish new nuclear-weapon- free zones in different parts of the world, including the establishment of a Middle East zone free of nuclear weapons, and calls on all Member states in those zones to support their establishment;

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Urges the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to rescind its announced withdrawal from the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, to re-establish cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency;

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Urges the nuclear-weapon States to stop immediately the qualitative improvement, development, production and stockpiling of nuclear warheads and their delivery systems;

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Reiterates its call upon the nuclear-weapon States to undertake the step- by-step reduction of the nuclear threat and to carry out effective nuclear disarmament measures with a view to achieving the total elimination of these weapons within a specified time;

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Calls upon the nuclear-weapon States, pending the achievement of the total elimination of nuclear weapons, to agree on an internationally and legally binding instrument on a joint undertaking not to be the first to use nuclear weapons;

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Calls for the immediate commencement of negotiations in the Conference on Disarmament on a multilateral and internationally and effectively verifiable treaty banning the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices;

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Calls for the conclusion of an international legal instrument or instruments on adequate and unconditional security assurances to non-nuclear- weapon States;

10 Also calls for the early entry into force and strict observance of the Comprehensive NuclearTest-Ban Treaty.

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Moratorium on Lethal Automated Robotics (LARs)

The General Assembly 1. Calls upon all States to declare and implement a national moratorium on the testing, production, assembly, transfer, acquisition, deployment and use of LARs until such time as an internationally agreed upon framework on the future of LARs has been established enshrining the following principles: a. a unilateral and multi-lateral commitment by all Members States to abide by International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and International Human Rights Law (IHRL) in governing all activities surrounding robotic weapons and in putting in place and implementing rigorous processes with regard to building and deploying such devices. b. ensuring transparency about internal weapons review processes, including metrics used to test robotic systems. States should at a minimum provide the international community with transparency regarding the processes they follow (if not the substantive outcomes) and commit to making the reviews as robust as possible. c. establishment of an on-going international debate and trans-governmental dialogue on the issue of LARs and be preparedness by Member states to exchange best practices with other States, and collaborate with the High Level Panel on LARs. 2. Invites the High Commissioner for Human Rights to convene, as a matter of priority, a High Level Panel on LARs consisting of experts from different fields such as law, robotics, computer science, military operations, diplomacy, conflict management, ethics and philosophy. The Panel should publish its report within a year, and its mandate should include the following: a. Taking stock of technical advances of relevance to LARs; b. Evaluation of the legal, ethical and policy issues related to LARs; c. Proposal of a framework to enable the international community to address effectively the legal and policy issues arising in relation to LARs, and make concrete substantive and procedural recommendations in that regard. In its work the Panel should endeavour to facilitate a broad-based international dialogue; d. Assessment of the adequacy or shortcomings of existing international legal frameworks governing LARs; e. Suggestions of appropriate ways to follow up on its work. 3. Stresses that all relevant United Nations agencies and bodies should, where appropriate in their interaction with parties that are active in the field of robotic weapons: a. Emphasize the need for full transparency regarding all aspects of the development of robotic weapon systems; b. Seek more international transparency from States regarding their internal weapons review processes, including those under Article 36 of Additional Protocol I to the Geneva Conventions. c. Establish and encourage compliance with a code or codes of conduct, ethics and/or practice defining responsible behaviour with respect to LARs in accordance with IHL and IHRL, or strengthen existing ones.

Young people’s call for a response to the education emergency The General Assembly, Expresses its full support for and adopts the following resolution of the United Nations Youth General Assembly as a political declaration: “Today, sixty-one million children and young people are denied the right to education. If world leaders, governments, civil society and the global community do not take decisive action now, the result is clear: the largest generation of youth in human history will be exposed to unemployment, poor health, civil unrest and increased vulnerability. We firmly believe that education is the most effective solution to poverty. We cannot afford to not educate the future generations of our planet -- education is a smart investment. We therefore call on all governments, individuals, and organizations responsible for policy, planning, financing, provision, management, delivery and implementation of education to work to: 1. Pass a Security Council resolution that recognizes the global education crisis and take concrete steps to address education and security, particularly for girls and in situations of emergency. 2. Get EVERY child in school: Work urgently to ensure all children have access to quality learning, including the 61 million excluded boys and girls. Provide at least nine years of quality education to every child, where they are equipped with the resources, environment and professional support they require to learn and thrive. 3. Address the special situation of girls and other marginalized groups Guarantee gender equality by recognizing and respecting the rights and potential of all girls as equals of boys, and by taking real steps to enable and support all girls to become active, educated and productive citizens of their country and of the world. [1] Place particular emphasis on education for marginalized children whose absence from the classroom has not yet been effectively addressed. Steps they take must tackle obstructions to their education and cater for their specific needs to guarantee their learning is worthwhile, fulfilling and contributes to their development. 4. Ensure that we learn to prepare us for life and work: Support the availability and improvement of non-formal and vocational education and training. Governments must recognize the importance of practical training and how this can complement academic education and sustain existing industries. Governments must ensure that any vocational education that students receive matches the high standards expected of academic education, and that it is conducted safely and is properly documented.

Connect education more directly with the labor market to ensure that all children and young people can seek opportunities after completing their education through, for example, internships, volunteering and mentorships, as well as being able to gain the formal accreditation and qualifications they may require for their future. Effective career guidance and planning should allow children and young people to consider their ambitions and options, and give them direction on how they can pursue and achieve their goals for the future. Develop and promote citizenship education as a way of educating children and young people on the important realities of life, to reduce extremism, to promote equality and respect, to ensure children are aware of their rights and responsibilities, to help them to realize their position as a citizen of the world and to enhance their emotional and physical wellbeing. Recruit and rigorously train teachers who implement the highest standards of teaching, are in attendance and available to all of their students, and who protect the rights of every student. 5. Increase education funding Donor countries should increase aid allocation to education. All governments should individually and justly target funding and resources to close spending gaps, which put children at a disadvantage because of the location of their school, conflict and other factors, and must prevent the leakage, wastage or misdirection of financial resources resulting from inefficiency or corruption. 6. Guarantee our voice in shaping education Meaningfully engage young people in shaping our own education by facilitating processes and installing structures which allow youth to contribute their opinions, to influence the direction of their own education and to have a say in the nature of the school and the curriculum. Students must have an avenue through which they can indicate concerns, report inappropriate or unprofessional behavior or seek a resolution to a grievance without prejudice and in confidence. We firmly believe that education is the most effective solution to poverty. We want a world where children and young people are both in school and are engaging - where we are both being taught, and are learning. We are convinced that these steps will enhance access to and the quality of education systems, will ensure that no child is left behind and will make the world a fairer, more just, educated, productive and better place. Our future cannot wait. We have to deliver this promise. Governments of the world have to deliver this promise.”

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Including girls; poorer children; child labourers and slaves; those living in disadvantaged areas, in

informal settlements or on the street; pregnant girls and girls with their own children; children with disabilities; indigenous children, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered young people and children and young people affected by emergencies and conflict.

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